Rep. Suzanne Ness

Amends the Children with Disabilities Article of the School Code. Requires a school district to provide notification to the parent or guardian of a student with an individualized education program (IEP) that the student may be eligible to receive additional specified services, benefits, or resources. Provides that the written notification must be provided no later than 30 days following the implementation of the initial IEP and once a year thereafter. Effective immediately. House Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Reinserts the contents of the bill with the following changes. Removes the requirement that a school district provide written notification concerning Supplemental Security Income and a special-needs trust. Provides that a school district must provide the written notification concerning the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services database to the parent or guardian at the initial meeting between the school district and the parent or guardian to develop the student's individualized education program and once a year thereafter at a regularly scheduled individualized education program meeting (rather than no later than 30 days following the implementation of the initial individualized education program and once a year thereafter). Requires a school district to provide to the parent or guardian of a student with an individualized education program a copy of the Department of Human Services' guide titled "Understanding PUNS". Effective immediately. House Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/14-17 new Adds reference to: 105 ILCS 5/2-3.163 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the School Code. In provisions concerning the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services database, requires the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, through school districts, to provide to parents and guardians of students a copy of the Department of Human Services' guide titled "Understanding PUNS: A Guide to Prioritization for Urgency of Need for Services" each year at the annual review meeting for the student's individualized education program (rather than requiring the State Board of Education, in consultation with the Department of Human Services, to inform parents and guardians of students through school districts about the Prioritization of Urgency of Need for Services waiting list). Effective immediately.

Amends the Children and Family Services Act. In provisions requiring the Department of Children and Family Services to submit annual reports to the General Assembly concerning youth in care who are awaiting placement or psychiatric hospitalization (rather than placement), provides that the reports are to be submitted no later than December 31 of each year (rather than on December 31 of each year through December 31, 2023). Requires the reports to be posted on the Department's website and to include specified information, including: (i) the number of youth in care placed in out-of-state residential treatment facilities, whether each youth was referred to any in-state programs for placement and, if so, the number of in-state referrals for each youth prior to referring the youth to out-of-state programs; (ii) the number of youth not in the temporary custody or guardianship of the Department who are the subjects of open child protection cases, intact family cases, or any other types of child welfare case, including, but not limited to, those youth for whom the Department is required to make medical assistance payments because they were hospitalized in inpatient psychiatric hospitals or units and were beyond medical necessity during the Department's involvement with the case; and (iii) the number of youth in care who remain in emergency rooms for longer than 24 hours waiting for admission to a psychiatric hospital bed. Effective immediately.

Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a person who uses Medicaid spend-down to qualify for medical assistance shall not be eligible for medical assistance if the person does not meet his or her monthly spend-down for 6 consecutive months. Effective immediately. Senate Committee Amendment No. 1 Replaces everything after the enacting clause. Amends the Medical Assistance Article of the Illinois Public Aid Code. Provides that a person who uses Medicaid spend-down to qualify for medical assistance shall be provided up to 6 consecutive months to submit and have medical receipts and bills processed by the Department of Healthcare and Family Services as evidence of payment of the person's monthly spend-down amount before becoming ineligible for medical assistance. Effective immediately.

Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. Requires every public elementary school and high school to include in its curriculum a unit of instruction studying the events of Asian American history; contains provisions governing this instruction. Provides that the teaching of history of the United States shall include the study of the wrongful incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II and the heroic service of the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Regimental Combat Team of the United States Army during World War II. Senate Floor Amendment No. 2 Deletes reference to: 105 ILCS 5/27-21 Removes the provisions relating to the history of the United States.

Congratulates Grace Kinstler for placing as a finalist on American Idol. Further thanks her for sharing her extraordinary talent with everyone.

Urges Illinois long-term care facilities to uphold and adhere to federal and state laws, rules, regulations, and guidance on a resident's standards of care, rights, protections, and inalienable right to be treated with respect, dignity, and quality care.

Urges federal and other state lawmakers to enact policies to preserve the health, safety, and well-being of women during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Recognizes the efforts by the Illinois Migrant Council in vaccinating those most in need and making everyone safer and healthier.

Urges President Joe Biden and other federal leaders to designate the 1908 Race Riot Sites in Springfield, Illinois as a national monument to be managed by the National Park Service.

Acknowledges the hardships faced by those with a disability and the need to increase education and awareness of these issues for people throughout the State of Illinois.